Peppered Pork Roast

This is the kind of Sunday roast that looks impressive on the platter but asks for almost nothing from the cook. A whole pork loin gets a hard pepper and garlic rub, roasts in a hot oven for about an hour, rests, slices. Done.

The smart move is the sour cherry salsa. Chopped cherries, green bell pepper, mild green chiles, onion, a spoon of fruit jam, and fresh cilantro with a splash of vinegar. It sits overnight in the fridge so the flavors marry, and by the time the pork comes out of the oven, the salsa is jammy, bright, and sweet-hot all at once.

Two tablespoons of coarsely cracked black pepper sounds like a lot and is meant to be. The pepper forms a serious crust during roasting, which is what the dish is named for. Use freshly cracked, not pre-ground, for real pop.

Rest the roast ten minutes, tented loosely, before slicing. Cutting too soon dumps all the juice onto the board. Ten minutes is the difference between juicy and dry.

Pork loin is lean, so do not overcook it. A thermometer reading 145°F (63°C) pulled from the oven gives you a slight blush in the center, which is safe and tender.

Pro Tips

• Make the salsa at least a few hours ahead, ideally the night before. The flavors deepen and the onion loses its bite.
• Crack whole peppercorns in a mortar or under the flat of a knife rather than using a pepper mill for coarser crust-building texture.
• Pat the roast dry before rubbing. Wet pork will not hold a pepper crust.
• Roast fat-side up so the fat renders down through the meat during cooking.

Variations

• Swap sour cherries for dried cranberries or chopped fresh pitted cherries for a similar balance.
• Use apricot jam instead of general fruit jam for a brighter, more orange-toned sauce.
• Add a minced jalapeño to the salsa for extra heat and serve with cornbread on the side.